Goalie Tim Howard no stranger to taking shots

Having overcome Tourette’s syndrome, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard is used to changing people's minds, and now the New Jersey native is a major force in recasting the reputation of American soccer abroad. NBC's Ian Williams reports.

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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

LESTER HOLT, anchor:At the
World Cup
in
South Africa
, the US is turning long-held notions about
American soccer
on their heads, that we just aren't into the sport and that the US can't field a team of contenders. As
NBC
's
Ian Williams
tells us, the man who's become a big force in recasting that image abroad is no stranger to changing minds or turning back a well-placed shot.

IAN WILLIAMS reporting:Just days ago this hardly seemed possible,
Tim Howard
back training, ready to take on
Slovenia
Friday. Against
England
the US goalkeeper was hit by a nasty blow to the ribs, but played on in spite of the pain and was named
man of the match
.

Mr. TIM HOWARD:Being from
Jersey
, you know, there's a certain -- there's a certain level of toughness, I think, that is bred in us. And we don't get pushed around easily, and we'll fight to the end.

WILLIAMS:That
Jersey
is
New Jersey
,
North Brunswick
, in fact.
Howard
is the son of an
African-American
father and a Hungarian
soccer mom
. He was raised by his mother in a one-bedroom apartment after his parents divorced. Best friend
Steve Senior
never doubted he'd go far.

Mr. STEVE SENIOR:He knew he was going to get there. And just like everything else, it was always a tough road, but he always overcame his obstacles.

WILLIAMS:At 10
Howard
was diagnosed with
Tourette's syndrome
, a neurological disorder that can cause facial ticks, overcoming it through sheer willpower.

Mr. HOWARD:Playing sports has always been something that has allowed me to take my mind off
Tourette's syndrome
and focus on other things that I enjoy. And so, you know, as part of who I am now, that's just a -- it's a very small piece.

WILLIAMS:In
2003
, when he moved to play soccer in
England
, fans ridiculed his
Tourette
's, calling him retarded. But after being named top goal scorer in his first season, he was adopted by fans as one of their own. And he's an inspiration to the
US soccer team
, too.

Mr. CARLOS BOCANEGRA (United States Soccer Team Captain):He's come up big for us so many times, you know. He's the last line of defense.

WILLIAMS:Unassuming off the field, intense and passionate during the game. You describe yourself as a yeller. What do you mean by that?

Mr. HOWARD:A screamer, yeah. Well, just on the field, you know, it's so loud and things are going so quickly out there that I feel like I have to get my point across, and more often than not it's not a whisper. It's more of a threatening yell.

WILLIAMS:Grounded by a strong
Christian faith
...

Mr. HOWARD:We all need God in certain ways, you know.
And I
certainly fall short in a lot of categories. And it's at those times that I need much more help than most.

WILLIAMS:Help he's counting on tomorrow in a
World Cup
that is, for him, the fulfillment of a dream.
Ian Williams
, NBC News, Pretoria,
South Africa
.

LESTER HOLT, anchor:And that's our broadcast for this Thursday night. Thank you for being with us. I'm
Lester Holt
in for
Brian